Kate Chopin’s Get out a piece of paper and take some notes!

Born Catherine O’Flaherty Creole/Irish Background Widowed at 32: husband Oscar dies and leaves Kate with $230,000 in debt Wrote to support family: became successful author of short fiction… Historical background Might be a good idea to write this down.

…until The Awakening is published in 1899 Seriously, it’s helpful.

Why wouldn’t you write this stuff down. Critical response- Some positive: “Analytical, and fine-spun,” - The Book Buyer “The work of an artist who can suggest more than one side of her subject with a single line.” - St. Louis Republic

But most critical response: It could be on the test.

And you all want to do well on the test… “not…wholesome,” - The Dial “should be labeled ‘poison’,” - St. Louis Post-Dispatch “It was not necessary for a writer of so great refinement and poetic grace to enter the over-worked field of sex-fiction,” - Chicago Times-Herald But most critical response:

Women’s role in society Women’s role in the household Consequences of Individualism Implications of Self-Expression And you wanna be cool, right?

Awakening! Types of Awakening: Physical Emotional Intellectual So learn this stuff. Especially the stuff on this slide.

Aphrodite (Greek) or Venus (Latin): Aphrodite was the goddess of love and beauty. She was said to have been born of water. It is believed that she sprang from a sea-birth near the island of Cytherea. The two components of Aphrodite are passion and water. Be sure to pay attention to references to these allusions while you read.

Echo and Narcissus Echo cursed to only reply + Narcissus totally full of himself = Tragedy Don’t be full of yourself: write this down.

Mythical Allusions Gulf Spirit Sea Spirit from Celtic and Creole myths Takes humans back to the water Don’t be full of yourself: write this down.

Mythical Allusions Icarus Fashioned wings of feathers and wax Flew too close to the sun Don’t be full of yourself: write this down.

Orpheus and Eurydice  Love unfulfilled  Pain of emotional entanglement  Undying love

Fairy Tales: Classic Images: Women are vestal and innocent Put to Sleep or Isolated to preserve innocence Desired for innocence Are you too one-dimensional to take notes? What a shame.

Important Symbols Birds Water Clothing Houses Music/Art and Expression You can bet your sweet behind that you will be tested on the content of this slide.